Day of celebrations for Phoenix Sky Harbor

Passengers visiting Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport today may find themselves in the middle of a birthday party as October 7 marks the 75th anniversary of Arizona’s gateway to the world.

Passengers visiting Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport today may find themselves in the middle of a birthday party as October 7 marks the 75th anniversary of Arizona’s gateway to the world.

In 1935, Phoenix paid $100,000 for the airport, which at the time was located so far from the city, that residents nicknamed it ‘The Farm’.

How times change because today Sky Harbor is conveniently located in the middle of the Phoenix Metropolitan area and serves nearly 38 million passengers a year.

Airport staff have pledged to honour the landmark by serving cake and singing ‘Happy Birthday to Sky Harbor’ in all three terminals at various times of the day. Visitors who hear the singing are welcome to join the celebration and enjoy a piece of cake.

The gateway will also celebrate the occasion by opening a museum exhibition in Terminal 3 called ‘75 Years of Nonstop Service’. The exhibition will feature memorabilia, photos and four separate videos on Sky Harbor’s history.

And the airport has also created a special 75th anniversary section on its website, (skyharbor.com) which features historic photos, videotaped interviews with long time employees and fun facts about Sky Harbor through the years.

“Sky Harbor is celebrating its rich history, exciting future and the generations of dedicated employees who have made this airport a success,” enthuses Phoenix’s aviation director, Danny Murphy.